diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e83b46dc..690f7664 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -128,15 +128,18 @@ $(DSC): build
 	cd build; dpkg-buildpackage -S -us -uc -d -nc
 	lintian $(DSC)
 
+.PHONY: clean distclean deb clean
 distclean: clean
-
-clean:
+clean: clean-debs
 	$(foreach i,$(SUBDIRS), \
 	    $(MAKE) -C $(i) clean ;)
 	$(CARGO) clean
-	rm -rf *.deb *.dsc *.tar.gz *.buildinfo *.changes build
 	find . -name '*~' -exec rm {} ';'
 
+# allows one to avoid running cargo clean when one just wants to tidy up after a packgae build
+clean-deb:
+	rm -rf *.deb *.dsc *.tar.gz *.buildinfo *.changes build/
+
 .PHONY: dinstall
 dinstall: ${SERVER_DEB} ${SERVER_DBG_DEB} ${CLIENT_DEB} ${CLIENT_DBG_DEB}
 	dpkg -i $^